Strawberry plant named &#39;Octavia&#39;

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Octavia’ (a.k.a. ‘108991’).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/501,253, filed on May 4, 2017,which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria x ananassa.

Varietal denomination: ‘Octavia’ (a.k.a. ‘108991’).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to new and distinct strawberry plantdesignated as ‘Octavia’ (a.k.a. ‘108991’).

‘Octavia’ (a.k.a. ‘108991’) is the result of a controlled-cross betweena female parent cultivar designated 107967 and a male parent cultivardesignated 3236 made by the Inventor and was first fruited inWatsonville, Calif. growing fields. Following selection and duringtesting, the plant was originally designated ‘108991’ and subsequentlynamed ‘Octavia’. ‘Octavia’ is a day-neutral plant.

This new strawberry plants was asexually reproduced via runners(stolons) by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules fromthe original source have been tested in Watsonville growing fields andto a limited extent, grower fields in high elevation. The properties ofthis plant were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction.The plant is stable and reproduces true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to new and distinctive strawberry plantdesignated as ‘Octavia’ (a.k.a. ‘108991’). The plant is primarilyadapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast ofCalifornia. This region provides the necessary temperatures required forit to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit productionfrom March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the neededhumidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintainfruit quality for the production months.

The following traits and photographs in combination distinguishstrawberry plant ‘Octavia’ from known strawberry plants. Plants for thebotanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals.Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

TABLE 1 ‘Octavio’ Characteristic Description General Plant Habitperennial Plant Growth Habit semi-upright Height (cm) 39.5 cm Width (cm)35 cm Density of foliage, vigor light Plant vigor moderate to high LeafTerminal leaflet width (mm) 85.88 mm Terminal leaflet length (mm) 78.6mm No. teeth/terminal leaflet: 21 shape of the terminal leaflet baseacute shape of terminal leaflet in cross-section concave margindescription of the terminal crenate Color of upper side of leaves 137AColor of lower side of leaves 138D Leaf blistering weak Leaf glossinessmedium Limbs Petiole length (cm) 24.5 mm Petiole diameter (cm) 4.57 mmPetiole color 145A Petiolule length (cm) 9.84 mm Petiolulc diamctcr (cm)2.18 mm Stipule length (cm) 3.5 cm Stipule width (cm) 11 mm Stipuleanthocyanin present Stipule color (color code) 145A Pedicel color (colorcode) 145A Limbs attitude of hairs on upwards petiole and pedicelInflorescence Inflorescence position relative to foliage above flowerarrangement of petals free to touching Flower diameter (cm) 14.05 mmPetal length (cm) 15.23 mm Petal width (cm) 5 to 6 Petal number perflower 155C Upper and lower Petal color 155C peduncle size medium Calyxdiameter (cm) 28.28 mm Corolla diameter (cm) 32.60 mm Sepal length (cm)8.95 mm Sepal width (cm) 6.11 mm Number of stamen 27 Anther color 12ATime of flowering April (50% of plants in bloom) Shape of stigmacapitate Color of stigma 14A Length of style 2.5 mm Color of style 12AColor of the ovary 145C Length of the stamens 3.13 mm Shape of antherdorsifixed Size of anther 1.74 mm Color of anther 12A Amount of pollenscarce to moderate Color of pollen 163A Color of filament 145C Length offilament 3.92 mm Stolon Stolon number 2 to 5 Stolon anthocyanin 181AWidest diameter of stolon 6.17 mm At leaf attachment Stolon color 145BFruit Number of fruit per truss 2 to 5 Fruit length (cm) 4.8 cm Fruitwidth (cm) 4.1 cm Fruit skin color 45A Fruit flesh color excluding core41B Fruit core color 39B Fruit weight (g) 29 g Predominant fruit shapelong conic Shape difference between primary No shape & secondary fruitsdifference Width of band without of achenes medium Fruit glossinessstrong Position of achenes below Achene color 2C Achenes per fruit 475Achene weight (g) 0.28 g Position of calyx above Diameter of calyx 3.3cm level of adherence of calyx medium Color of calyx 145B Firmness offlesh firm Evenness of flesh color nearly even Sweetness (Brix) 7 pH3.44

‘Octavia’ is similar to the UC Davis variety ‘Monterey’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 19,767), but possesses several distinguishing traits from‘Monterey’. ‘Octavia’ presents shorter petiole lengths and flower stemlengths than ‘Monterey’. ‘Monterey’ produces mostly conic and long conicfruit while ‘Octavia’ produces conic, long conic, short wedge and longwedge fruit. The male parent of ‘Octavia’ differs from ‘Octavia’ byproducing globose fruit. Both the female parent of ‘Octavia’ and‘Monterey’ produce firmer fruit than ‘Octavia’. ‘Octavia’ produceslarger strawberries than both of its parents do.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of thecultivars as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows ripe and near-ripe fruits of ‘Octavia’ about 6-month old.

FIG. 2 shows a leaf of ‘Octavia’ plants.

FIG. 3 shows petiole of ‘Octavia’ plants.

FIG. 4 shows inflorescences of ‘Octavia’ plants.

FIG. 5 shows fruits of ‘Octavia’ plants.

FIG. 6 shows fruits of ‘Octavia’ plants cut in half.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘Octavia’,substantially as shown and described herein.